Rotary engine.



J. C. THOMPSON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16. 1917.

l ,%59, 3 1 $0 Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1. c. THOMPSON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION HLED. AUG-16, I91].

1 ,;259,31 Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- portion .of the shaft is journaled adjacent of the body of the stator for a purpose that will presently appear. A supporting shaft 12 projects centrally from the opposite face of the rotor and is reduced adjacent the rotor forming a shoulder-13, the reduced end be ng journaled in a bearing 14 clamped to the upper end of the intermediate standard 1 by means of a bracket 15, while the reduced sectional cylindrical casing 18 is employed being providedwith acentral opening 19 about which is formed a collar. 20 which is designed for engagement with the reduced end 21 of the bearing 14 and also is arranged about the shaft 12 so that the side wall 22 will be positioned in close relation to the outer face of the body 9 of the rotor while the outer wall 23 is arranged in close relation with the outer edge of the rotor 8 and rigidly connected to the outer edge of the stator 2 as indicated in Fig. 3.

With a view toward providing suitable means'jfor facilitating rotation of the rotor and the stator in the casing the outer edge of the body 9 of the rotor is provided with spaced circumferential grooves 2a which constitute braces for receiving ball bearings 25 also operating within the peripheral grooves 26 on the inner surface of the wall 23 of the casing which incidentally serve as braces. The outer edge of. the body 9 of the rotor is also provided intermediate the grooves 24 with another peripheral groove 27 in which is fitted the packing ring 28 designed for engagement with the adjacent surface of the wall 23 of the casing during rotation for preventing escape of fluid therebetween. Be-

tween the shoulder 13 in the outer edge of the reduced end of the bearing 14: are arranged a lurality of ball bearings 29 which engage the reduced portion of the shaft 12 in the'lnner surface of the collar 21 to facilitate rotation of the rotor inthe collar. In order to prevent the escape of fluids between the channel in the outer rim during rotation of the rotor the outer wall of the channel is provided with spaced peripheral grooves 30 inwhich is fitted packing rings 31 for engagement-with the outer rim, the arrangement being indicated in Fig. 3.

As lntimated, improved means havebeen provided for actuating the rotor in either direction. In reducing this feature of the invention to practice the intake manifold 32 is provided, the. branches 33 thereof being fitted in transversely extending openings 34: in the body 3 of the tator adjacent the uplimited sense.

per end thereof and which establish cominunication with the several compartments provide-d'between the rims by the blades. lhe

bottom of the channel is also provided with grooves 35 which extend from the opening as indicated in Fig. f to assure of the incom ing fiuid being directed against the blades. Suitable valves '36 are operatively mounted in thebranches 33 and when one is opened the other is closed to assure of the rotation of the rotor in one direction and vice versa.

The body of the rotor is also provided with an exhaust opening 37 adjacent thelower part thereof which leads from the channel for allowing. the fluid to be exhausted through the exhaust pipe 38 fitted in the opening. 7

The mode of operation may be reviewed as follows: Assuming'that steam is used as a fluid for imparting impacts to the blades 11 of the rotor, one of the valves 36 is opened 'whilethe other is closed toallow steam to pass .through the intake pipe 32 through the corresponding branch and thence through the corresponding openings 34 and groove 35 so as to be directed against the adjacent blade and impart an impactthereto so as to assure of the rotation of the rotor.

of the provision of the packing means 31. in

the channel of the stator, and bearing against the outer ringon the rotor, steam is prevented from escaping therebetween so'as above construction and many apparently widelydifferent embodiments of this inven tion could bejmade without departing from the scope thereof, and it is intended that all matter contained in the above, description or shown in the accompanylng drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a described and all statements of the scope of What is claimed is:

1. A rotary engine including a stator having an annular channel in one facethereof, a casing surrounding. the stator; and aradjacent the outer face of the stator spaced It is also to be understood. that the language used in the following claims i intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein i ranged 1n spaced relationto the outer face I thereof, a rotor embodylng acylindrical body mounted forrotation in the casing and 10 5 to assure of a maximum speed from a minirings projecting from one face of the rotor and arranged within the channel in the stator, transverse blades positioned between the rings, an intake mounted in the stator and through which fluid passes to impart impacts against the blades, and an exhaust leading from the stator.

2. A rotary engine including a stator having an annular channel therein, a rigidly mounted casing surrounding the stator and rigidly connected thereto, a rotor rotatably mounted in the casing and in the channel in the stator, anti-friction means between the rotor and the casing for assuring an easy rotation of the rotor, packing means between the rotor and the channel in the stator and between the rotor and the casing for preventing the escape of fluid, valve controlled fluid intake means mounted in the stator, and exhaust means leading from the stator.

3. A rotary engine consisting of a rigidly mounted stator embodying a circular body having an annular channel in one face adjacent its outer periphery, a rigidly mounted cylindrical casing disposed about the outer edge of the stator and rigid therewith, a rotatably mounted shaft, a rotor carried by the inner end of the shaft and embodying a circular body rotatably disposed between the stator and the casing, spaced annular rings projecting from the front face of the body of the rotor and arranged in the channel in the stator, transverse blades connecting the rings, an intake connected to the the channel, valve means for controlling the passage of fluids through the branches of the manifold, an exhaust leading from the channel in the stator, a shaft rotatably mounted in the other standards, a pulley wheel carried by one end of the shaft, a bearing carried by one of the standards and through which the shaft is journaled, a cylindrical casing carried by the bearing and disposed about and rigidly connected to the stator, a rotor carried by the inner end ,of the shaft and embodying a circular body for rotating within the casing and adjacent to the stator, spaced annular rings projecting from the body and arranged for rotation in the channel, transverse blades connecting the rings and against which impacts are made, anti-friction means between the shaft and the casing, anti-friction means between the casing and the rotor, and packing means between the rotor and the stator.

In testimony'whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES C. THOMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. 0. 

